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Published on: February 9, 2011
Fusobacterium invasive infections in children: a retrospective study in two French tertiary care centres
M Bailhache1, P Mariani-Kurkdjian, P Lehours
1Hôpital Pellegrin, Pédiatrie Médicale, CHU de Bordeaux, Place Amélie Raba-Léon, 33000 Bordeaux, France. marion.bailhache@free.fr
Insights
Invasive Fusobacterium infections in children often present with head, neck, or abdominal sites and can involve co-infections. Molecular detection methods like 16S RNA-PCR can improve diagnosis for Fusobacterium.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Clinical Bacteriology
Background:
- Invasive Fusobacterium infections are rare but serious in children.
- Understanding their clinical and biological characteristics is crucial for timely diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical and biological characteristics of invasive Fusobacterium infections in children.
- To analyze the evolution and outcomes of these infections in a pediatric tertiary care setting.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of children admitted between 1998 and 2009 to two French pediatric tertiary care centers.
- Inclusion of 31 children with invasive Fusobacterium infection.
- Utilized standard microbiological cultures and 16S RNA-PCR for pathogen identification.
Main Results:
- The median age of affected children was 5.7 years, with common underlying conditions including sickle cell disease and immunodeficiency.
- Predominant infection sites were the head and neck (n=14) and abdomen (n=10).
- Bacterial co-infections were observed in over half of the cases (58%), and 16S RNA-PCR identified Fusobacterium in culture-negative samples.
Conclusions:
- Fusobacterium causes severe infections in children, often with significant co-morbidities.
- Prompt diagnosis and management are essential.
- Molecular diagnostic techniques, such as 16S RNA-PCR, can enhance the detection of Fusobacterium, especially in culture-negative cases.
Abstract:
The purpose of this investigation was to describe the clinical and biological characteristics and evolution of invasive Fusobacterium infections in children admitted to two French paediatric tertiary care centres. Children who were admitted from 1998 to 2009 to two tertiary care centres for invasive Fusobacterium infection were included in a retrospective study. Thirty-one children with a median age of 5.7 years (interquartile range, IQR [2.3; 9.3]) were included. Nine children had an underlying condition, most commonly sickle cell disease (n = 3) or immunodeficiency (n = 3). Two children had skin effraction prior to the infection. The major sites of infection were the head and neck (n = 14) and abdomen (n = 10). Three children suffered from atypical Lemierre's syndrome. More than half of the children had a bacterial co-infection (58 %). Six children were hospitalised in an intensive care unit, and 67 % of them had a chronic underlying disease. None of the children died. Six children with negative cultures had Fusobacterium identified through 16S RNA-PCR. Fusobacterium is responsible for severe infection in children. Microbiological diagnosis might be improved by the wider use of molecular detection.
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